November brings with it Thanksgiving, which was really hard for me my first year here. I didn't realize just how important that meal was until I was away from it. Easter and Christmas are so riddled with commercialism that they lost their way. But Thanksgiving stays on the course as being the day you sit down (like it or not) with your family and/or friends and stuff your face while being reminded to give thanks for what you have. I was a basket case my first year. I vowed to never miss another one. Then I got knocked up! No worries, I had last year and I will have other years. I threw myself into planning the Thanksgiving event at my pub. I set the menu, helped out the Turkish chef, Erhan, who didn't have a lot of experience with some of the traditional dishes. I handled the desserts, pumpkin and apple pies. After much prep and work (and tears) we pulled it off. It was pretty successful, from what I was told, in that we sold out of plates. I'm not certain how profitable it was for the pub, but the food was outstanding and the customers loved it. That helped distract me, but I can't help but miss everyone.
We have started receiving donations from friends and buying things for the baby. I got an unexpected donation of baby clothes from a friend of a coworker, all boy stuff, but greatly appreciated. We got a car seat from the Message classifieds, for 10 Euros!!! Its practically brand new, she hardly used it at all. We bought our dishwasher from the Message classifieds, and that woman gave me maternity clothes, baby clothes and a bassinet. I got an email from a friend of a friend, offering us baby clothes, for a girl, a cosleeper (an infant "crib" where one side drops so you can keep it next to you in your bed for easy night feedings) and a cocoon a baby. Another friend is giving us a moses basket. A dear fried of mine just gave me everything her son has grown out of since she moved here (he was a few months old then) until now, he is about 18 months. So at this point, I have a shit ton of boys clothes, and a small amount of girls clothes. Most of it is for the beginning, 0-6, and a decent amount for 6-12 months. Its just as well that I feel like I'm having a boy! A lot of the clothes really could go either way, but there are some things that are definitely boy stuff. If I do have a girl, as Ann Marie is convinced I am having, every other person I know who is pregnant is having a boy. I'm not exaggerating, I know at least 9 or 10 women who are pregnant, or have just had babies, and every one of them is a boy. I know 2 women who are also waiting for the surprise. So, worst case scenario, I give the boy stuff to these other women and go get me some girl stuff. Not that I"m really the pink, frilly type. I like the more modern look for little girls. And here, people dress their kids like little adults, anyway. I see more trenchcoats and skinny jeans on little girls than I did on adults in the US. Its funny.
Some items donated to us:
This actually did not come from Annie!! But I thought she would appreciate it!!
Each one of these items is marked 3 months, maybe I'm just new at this, but I see a small difference between them
The baby has really started kicking up a fuss in there. I'm definitely feeling it. Unfortunately, Spud is reeking havoc on my lungs. I can't breath. I would be sitting there, minding my own business, then suddenly, the wind has been knocked out of me from the inside. Stairs have become my mortal enemy. I can use the stairs, but I need to take my time and I need to pause for a break at the top. Between the extra weight and the pressure on my lungs, its not fun. I am definitely waddling. Really, I have been for a while. But there is no avoiding it now. I waddle. Work is getting harder. I was really looking forward to the end of the month. I was down to working 2 days in the pub and 1 day in the office. But I'm ready to stop.
People have began with the "Oh my god you're huge! How many babies are in there?!" I know they mean well, but its really f*%@ing annoying. I am 5'2", I have no torso and I am carrying the baby of a man who is 6' tall and was 11 pounds when he was born. I am going to show a bit more than a woman who is, say, 5'9". Then I had my monthly sage femme appointment. HAHA!! I still had not gained any weight, since month 5 and she said my measurements were perfect. She actually used the word perfect! So now I got to go around telling people that I'm exactly the size I should be, so suck it. I can still fit into my pants, without zipping them, of course. But I can still wear some of them. I still look exactly the same, minus the large beach ball under my shirt.
My sleep was starting to be effected. I can sleep, but its not continuos. I wake up after every REM cycle, pee and then go back to bed. Its ok, I still sleep. But i miss a good 8 hour stretch. Its strange, because my iron is low, so you would think I'd be more tired, thus sleeping better. But I guess it a way for you to get used to not ever sleeping 8 hours straight again! I got my flu shot! So Spud and I are good for quite some time.
We took a parenting class. It was a weekend long class, all day Saturday and Sunday, with 5 other couples. We went over loads of stuff about pregnancy, childbirth and the first few months. It was really great, and in English!
Along comes December and I get to stop working. I spent the first weeks still scheduling myself like a crazy woman. I was running around busy as before. I was still doing 1 day in the office, as it is easy enough to sit at a desk and work on a computer. I started doing modeling for a life drawing class. Yes, it was naked. Like I said before, I love being pregnant. And since I'm not putting on ridiculous amounts of weight, I love the way I look pregnant. So why not get paid for it? It works out well, its only 2 hours a week and it pays well. I met a really cool Irish chick, who is also pregnant and we starting hanging out.
I got a wake up call, though, about how I was running around. Robbie and I were hanging out at home. He was sitting in a folding chair and then slowly started to slip towards the floor as the chair breaks in slow motion. Needless to say, I laugh until I start peeing a bit. As I go to the toilet and to change, Robbie notices that the back of my knee is all purple and swollen. So in on instant I go from laughing until I pee, to crying hysterically. I was freaking out. I sent pictures all over the world getting feedback from my friends and family, while Robbie is on the phone trying to get a doctor to come round the house to look at me. In the end, I put on the compression tights and laid down with my leg elevated. It turns out, yes, I do have a small vericose vein in my leg, nothing to really worry about. I just have to wear the special tights everyday and we will deal with it once I am done having babies. I am also now taking it easy. I am not making plans to go all over God's creation everyday. I take Robbie to work, I go to my French classes 3 nights a week, I go to physical therapy and to my one day of work. I will make some plans with people, but for the most part, I'm chilling.
Other than that small hiccup, all is still going well. I feel great. I do have a few moments where the reality of being pregnant hits home. This baby will be mine. No one will come take it away when I am done with it. We are the parents from now until we die. Whoa! But then I think of what kind of freaking miracle it is to be growing a tiny human inside of me. I am a self contained family right now. There is a living thing inside of my who will have their own personality and thoughts. It will walk and talk and I made it, with a bit of help from Robbie. (I don't want to downplay how wonderful he has been every step of the way. He is so amazing, but you already knew that!)
Now, I'm looking forward to the holidays and the next ultrasound!!
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